What I've Learned From Having a Food Instagram

What started out as just a little hobby has grown to be something way more.

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I started my food Instagram, @brunchybitches, as a way for me to document my own eating experiences, see what others in the world were eating, and to honestly have an excuse to take obnoxious photos of food all of the time.

However, a couple months in, I became hooked. I noticed myself scrolling down my food feed more than my personal one, and I would become instantly jealous of all of the food that people were eating around the world. My travel bucket list transitioned from a list of tourist sights into a list of restaurants.

My three year long journey with my food Instagram, one which continues today, has taught me a lot about food blogging and the passion for food that is shared around the world. Here is what I can tell you about having a food Instagram.

1. Photogenic Food Is Not Always Good Food

Amanda Wakefield

There have been countless times where I take a photo of my meal before I eat it, just to find out that it doesn't even taste good. While it may look good on camera because of how it is plated and how it looks, once it enters your mouth the magic seems to disappear and you realize that the disappointment is real.

Take pizza for example, it looks cheesy, perfect, and delicious. Often times it is, but I have had some experiences where I pick it up and it is so soggy that I cannot even hold it up. Maybe I am a food snob, or maybe I just expect a little more from something that looks like it will be the best dish in the world.

2. Good Food Is Not Always Photogenic

In addition to some dishes being photogenic and not living up to taste expectations, sometimes the dish that tastes the best does not always look appealing on camera. Unfortunately, these meals I have to only remember in my head, because the photo does not do it any justice.

This is when I have to make the crucial decision and decide whether or not I am going to want to post on my Instagram that day, or eat something that I know is going to be bomb. It is a real issue everyone, just hear me out here.

#SpoonTip: If you are looking for something photogenic AND good, go to places like Trip Advisor and Yelp to see what photos and comments people are posting. You may find that unicorn dish that has both the taste and the looks.

3. Food Porn Is a Real Thing

Jayna Goldstein

I'm not kidding when I say that every time I scroll through my feed my mouth waters and I become immediately hungry. Some of the pictures that people post look too good to be true, and it baffles me that they actually exist in real life.

There is nothing more satisfying than a milkshake piled high with whipped cream, cake, brownie, sprinkles, and an edible straw. That literally exists and the picture just makes you want to transport yourself into the screen to get a bite.

4. It Reminds You to Try New Things

Amanda Wakefield

There are so many different varieties of dishes on Instagram, and it is amazing to be able to see what other people are eating around the world. Scrolling through my feed has opened my eyes to foods that I previously would not have tried, for example the moment I saw an açaí bowl on my feed about a year ago, I knew I had to get my hands on one.

Having my food Instagram allows me to see all of the growing trends right away, which is really fun because I can go out and try the foods before they become really mainstream. I have discovered so many restaurants not only in my area, but in places that I plan to visit, which I would have likely never stumbled upon otherwise.

It only takes that one perfect picture of some exotic food to make me want to try it. Thankfully, Instagram is full of food that is out of ordinary, so my mind has been set to being open to try everything and anything that comes my way.

5. It Has Sparked My Interest In a Food-Related Career

Skyler Bouchard

Before having my food Instagram, I wasn't really sure about what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to be some type of journalist or blogger, but I wasn't sure what exactly I had a passion to write about.

After seeing so many bloggers become famous from their Instagram and websites, I have realized that there are real career opportunities in food blogging and journalism. If you want to see an example of one of these success stories, check out this article about Skyler Bouchard. This is probably the most important thing that my food Instagram has done for me, because I can really see myself building a career in the food industry.

Everyday, I see people with millions of followers being interviewed by companies such as Food Network and Eater, which shows that there is a real interest in food for our generation. I hope to one day be one of the interviewers, or write stories about different restaurants and trends occurring in the world today.

So, my food Instagram has taken over my life. I pick what I eat based on it and obsess over looking at the feed all too frequently. If you see me scrolling on my phone, odds are I'm scrolling through Instagram fantasizing about what my next meal is going to be, and how I am going to travel halfway across the world to get that all-too-perfect ice cream sundae that has an entire piece of cake sitting on it.

What was once just an Instagram for me, has sparked my passion into something much more, and I am so excited to see where the world of food takes me.